Label printer



H. P. ELLIOTT LABEL PRINTER March 28, 1939.

Filed July 17, 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR v Harmon B Elliott ATTO RNEY March 28, 1939.- H. P. ELLIOTT- LABEL PRINTER 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 FiledJuly 1'7, 193'? arch 28, 1939.

H. P.ELL|OTT LABEL PRINTER Filed July 17, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 4- IIUHUJiiiili ill! B a v INVENTOR i Harmon R E/lwll' ATTORNEY I IIIJL I l llllll H. P. ELLIOTT LABEL PRINTER March '28, 1939."

" s Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 17, 1937 l in INVENTOR Harmon P E [I to! lATTORNEY Patented Mar. 28, 1939 UNITED STATES LABEL PRINTER Harmon P.Elliott, Watertown, Mass., assignor to the Elliott Addressing MachineCompany, a corporation of Massachusetts Application July 17, 1937,Serial No. 154,155

14 Claims.

This invention comprises certain improvements in the general type ofapparatus shown and described in my Patent No. 2,015,552, dated Sept.24, 1935, for a Wrapper printing and addressing machine, and relatesmore specifically to improvements in means for applying a classificationmarking to a label, wrapper or the like, adjacent to the stenciledaddress thereon, to indicate the class of catalogue to be sent with thepackage,

to which the label on which the name and address is being printed is tobe afiixed, before delivery thereof.

In the patent referred to provision is made for applying such aclassification marking automatically by punching the stencils to formdifferently positioned contact openings through which a circuit isclosed to energize one of severally electrically actuated printingdevices to apply a catalogue class indication adjacent to the stencilledaddress.

In such previously patented apparatus there is a separate mechanism forapplying each catalogue marking, whereas in my present invention but oneapparatus is required which is adjustable to print any one of fourdifferent marks on the label being addressed, and that apparatus ismerely a simple attachment to the reciprocating pressure platen of themain, address stencilling apparatus.

Also in the present invention the printing of some one catalogue markingcan be made continuously on successive labels, and the selection ofwhich one can be made manually by the operator who is running themachine. All this is con- 53;; tradistinguished from the patentedapparatus in which such selection is predetermined and controlled bypunching a hole in each stencil frame and becomes thus fixed.

Toguide the operator in such selection while using the present inventionI make use of the old idea of marking on an extension of the stencilframe, and preferably on the back thereof as has become standardizedpractice in certain commercial types of stencil addressing apparatus,certain indicia such as records of previous purchases by the customerwhose name and address are cut in the stencil. This requires that thestencils shall run through the machine with their backs uppermost, whilein my patented apparatus the reverse arrangement is employed as in mostmachines of the Elliott type, and this similarly requires that the typeand inking devices for the label marking shall be under the paper, whichreverses the arrangement shown in my said prior patent, I

Again, this general rearrangement requires that the Web of paper onwhich the label markings are being printed shall run over the stencil,thus masking the selection controlling indicia unless some way to avoidthat difiiculty has been devised, 1 and this said difficulty I haveovercome by causing the stencils to be fed toward the operator sidewiseof the stencilled panel, while the paper web is fed sidewise across hisfield of vision and then'causing the enlarged portion of each stencilframe on which the sales records appear to project beyond the near. edgeof the paper web so that the operator can see it and easily read suchrecord. Obviously, if the reverse arrangement shown in my. previouspatent were retained in which the stencils are run endwise of theirpanels with the paper web lying across the frame extension any suchlegends which must be written on one of the longer sides of the stencilframes would be covered by the paper web.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of' meanswhereby any one of the catalogue markings may be automatically printedon all the labels, in case the selection is determined by geographiclocation of the customers, for instance, and all stencils of addressesin any particular location or type of location are segregated inparticular magazines so that all of that class are run through themachine at one time. This will be useful in case one type of catalogueslists goods for urban customers while another deals with ruralrequirements, etc.

Finally, an object of the invention is the provision of simple, manuallyoperated purging means by which the operator may eliminate from the setof stencils going through the printing zone any which should beeliminated therefrom for any reason. Furthermore the feeding actions of.two mechanisms on the web are rendered exactly equal.

The invention also has for its further object certain minor structuralimprovements in the elements cooperating for the general purpose abovedescribed, which will be hereinafter pointed out.

The best form of apparatus at present known to me suitable for embodyingmy invention is illustrated in the accompanying five sheets of drawings,in which F 1 is a top plan view of the machine.

Fig. 2 is a central vertical cross section on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1with the power mechanism, which is ordinarily located near the base ofthe machine, omitted.

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal partial section on the irregular line3--3 of Fig. 1, taken at right angles to that of Fig. 2.

Fig. 3a is a continuation to the left hand of Fig. 3, the section beingtaken centrally of the paper web at the left hand end of the machine.

Fig. 4 is a detail plan view on an enlarged scale, with portions of thetable top broken away to show the mechanism illustrated in Fig. 5.

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line55 of Fig. 4, withparts broken "away.

Fig. 5a is a detail view of the pin pressureplaten of the label markerand a portion of the main stencil printing head on which it is mounted,the same being shown in proper position relative to the mechanismillustrated inFig. '5. V

Fig. 6 is a view showing 'a-por'tion of the mechanism of Fig. 5 adjustedin a position to=produce continuous repetitions of one selectedcatalogue marking, and

Fig. 7 shows one of the labels which-has been printed-andmarked by themachine.

Referring-to the-drawings, the product of the present-machine is alabel, wrapper or the like of the type shown in Fig.7 on which there hasbeen .printed a symbol :having a predetermined significance, in additionto a name and address. This printing is doneon a web of ,paperfed stepby step through the machine and aftertheprinting operation is =completedeach printed label is cut off the end of the web, which is advanced stepby step through the-machine.- :Thepresent purpose of the machineillustratedistoprint a symbol indicating-the: class ofj catalogue or:other publication or the like which should-properly be sent by the clerkwho wraps up or ships the package to which the labelis pasted. Thus-theletter L in'Fig. 7 --means -large.

In the present embodiment of the invention, .the stencils are fedforward from the rear .of the machine in line with and directlytowardsthe operator and .come into printing position .under the paperwebywhichlatter travels at right angles to the stencil line offeed.

-Iihe stencil proper, in printing :position, concealed from view ofthe-machine operator by the overlayofthepaper web, but this does notmatter-as it is wrongside up for reading and an extension stub ofthestenciI-frame projects beyond the web and presents visiblenotations,indicating to the operator the-class of catalogue to be sent to eachstencilledadd-ress, and by manipulation of the codeflletterprintingdevice the operator adjusts the same so that the proper symbol will Y beprinted on the time the addressis printed.

In the specific construction of -machine here shown a flat :horizontaltable 5 is employed to carry the-mechanism. The operator of the machineis ordinarily seated at the front of the table in line with the stencilfeed andJprinting mechanism, .the former extending centrally across thetable from rearto front thereof. 7

'The stencil addressing mechanism includes a magazine or stencil holder16, the construction "and operation of which isiwell known in the artand therefore need not be described in'detail. 7

Leading toward the'printing zone. from the stencil holder there is theusual .stencil "track, consisting of a pair of grooved, spaced rails 1,1, thatextendv transversely across the table toa receivingrackor'holder8, in which the stencils normally are deposited by the-feed.action, after the. printing operation. I 1

"The stencils 9 (see Fig. 1) 'have'the usual web :at the same "er at anyone operation is pushed out from under thestack into and along the trackgrooves in the usual manner by a pusher l2, which is vibrated in the''line of the track by an arm l3 suitably connected to be actuated by thepower which drives the whole mechanism, but which is not shown. The arm13 is vibrated continuously while the power mechanism is in operationand feedsa stencil from the stack into the track at eachmovementthereo-f toward thezprintingzone.

The printing mechanism comprisesthe .printing "roller =1 4 (-see Fig."29 located below therails of the stencil track :and a reciprocatingplaten l5, that is located above the track.

The printing roller 14 is revolubly mounted between upwardly extendingarmsl6 of -a yoke-ll, carried by a rearwardly extending -arm l8integraltherewith and disposed centrally of the yoke, Said arm being"pivoted at-l9 to the frame of the machine. The printing-roller is givenmotion into and out of contact relation with the stencil above-it by acam -20 (pivoted; at 40*) *which, through rod --2 I extend-ing--f-romthe. powermechanism, is oscillated in time with the intervalsin-thefeed motions of the stencils, and the web.

The printing roller 14 is supplied with ink through an idler roller =22,forming :part :of-an inking mechanism not necessary to describe ingreater detail since it may be anything suitable or well known in theart.

The platen I5 is mounted between-downwardly projecting lugs 23of-arocker-frame which is formed o-f-apair of side arms 24, connected atthe front and rear by cross bars-25,15. The rocker frame --is j ournaledto oscillate in bearings 26' on the machine frame and-extends below saidbearings, beingprovided (centrally of its rear cross bar 25) with adownward extensioncarrying a roller'21. This roller is so placed as toengage the rear face 28 of the cam 20 by which the rocker frame is giventhe motion required'to move the plateninto and-out of printing relationwith each stencil and with the ink carrying roller M, while such stencilis resting in printingposition.

After'passing through the printing zone, the stencils are given furtherintermittentforward movements in the tguides-andnormally aredeposited'inthe receiving rack or holder 8 in the usual manner. Theconstruction of the receiv-= ing-rack or holder here shown iswell knownin the art and it will therefore not be necessary to describe the samein detail, as any suitable form may be employed.

:As the legends on the back of 'a particular stencil may indicate thatfor some reasonit should be eliminated from the particular stackbeing'used,'I have provided ;a simple and convenient device which can bebrought into operation "when desired to deposit any particular stencilin a separate receiver and which, -on the other hand,'when not so usedserves to ensure the deposit of the used stencils in the main receiver8. This is indicated in'Figs. 1 and '2 and comprises the smallsupplemental receiver 95 supported on the horizontally swinging arm 96and normally located in the line of movement of the stencils outside ofthe main receiver 8, and. a switch plate 91 pivoted on a horizontal axis98 over the mouth of main receiver 8. A compression spring 99 normallyholds this plate in an inclined position as shown in Fig. 2 so that eachoncoming stencil then strikes its under surface and is positivelydeflected downward into the main receiver. When, however, the operatorwishes to switch a given stencil into the supplemental receiver 95 thisplate can be swung by raising its extension handle W9 (Fig. 1) so thatits edge nearest the end of the stenciltrack comes below said end andthe next stencil will-then slide over the plate and into thesupplemental receiver fordiscard or transfer to some other stack.

Whenever the accumulated stack of used stencils in main receiver 8 is tobe removed the supplemental receiver 95 can be temporarily swung to theright (looking at Fig. 2) to afford access to the stack of stencils inthe main receiver.

In order to apply a selected catalogue classification marking to thepaper adjacent to such stencilled address and simultaneously in theoperation of stencilling such address, a type bar 29 (Figs. 1 and 5)containing a number of code letters or other suitable characters 3|l,'ismounted in guides 3|, extending along one side of and in parallelrelation to the stencil line of feed, as shown in Fig. 1. The guides 3|are so arranged as to enable the type bar to be moved endwise to bringany selected code letter thereon into position under pin platen 32 nearone edge of the stencil about to be used in address printing. Normallythis type bar is withdrawn from such-printing position and isyieldinglyheld thus in such position by a spring 29 secured at one end to theframe of the machine and at the other end to a stud or pin 29 dependingfrom the under side of said bar (Fig. 5). This stud or pin 29 is alsoutilized in a manner to be later on described to move the type bar intoa printing position and bring the desired character thereon under pinplaten 32, which is mounted on the rocker frame 26, 25, carrying thestencil platen,

I5, and moves up and down with the latter.

This pin platen has a vertical screw thread adjustment 33 in itsmounting on the rocker frame, permitting it to be raised or lowered tovary the pressure exerted by it on the type face beneath it so that aproper impression can be produced in the printing operation. The face onthe lower ,end of the pin platen may be of rubber or other suitablecushioning material to coact yieldingly with the type below it.

Cooperating with the type bar there is an ink roller 34 carried by anarm 35 pivoted at 36 to-a bracket 31. The bracket is removably securedto the table by a set screw 39 and the ink roller is yieldingly held tocontact with the face of the type by a spring 39.

As here shown, there are four code letters on the type bar but anynumber may be used and to enable any one of the letters to be slid intoposition with speed and certainty and without requiring either skill orundue exertion on the part of the machine operator, provision is madefor effecting instant adjustment by merely pressing a button. Preferablyas many buttons are employed as there are type faces, one for eachcharacter on the type bar, and the buttons are marked with the characterof the type bar they are designed to control, as indicated at 40 inFigs. 1 and 4. I Separate and independent connections are provided fromeach button to the pin 29 of the type bar and as these connections aresubstantially through a slot 42 in the table and projects suflicientlyabove the upper surface thereof to provide clearance for movement of thebutton when it is pressed downward to move its particular character onthe type bar into position for printing operation. Each bar 4| ispivotally connected at its lower end to one arm 43 of a bell crank whichturns loosely on a short cross shaft 44. Attached to the other arm 45 ofeach bell crank there is a spring 46 which acts to yieldingly maintainthe button normally above and clear of the table top. The upper end ofeach bell crank lever arm 45 has a pin and slot connection 41 with thefree end of a link bar 33, the other end of which is pivotally connectedat 49 to a horizontally disposed lever 5|]. Each lever is pivoted at 5|(see Fig.4) and its opposite free end 52, supported and steadied by oneof the guides '53 (Fig. 5), projects into engaging relationship with thepin 29 of the type bar 29.

As any one button is pressed downward, its connection with its bellcrank lever gives the latter counterclockwise movement (Figs. 5 and 6)against the action of its spring 46 and this motion, transmitted throughits link bar to its horizontally disposed lever 50, causes the free endthereof to engage the pin 29 of the type bar and advance the bar in theguides from nonprinting position to one of its printing positions. Theextent of move- 'ment given the free ends of any lever 50 determineswhich of the several characters on the type bar will'be brought intoprinting position, and by spacing the connections between the bar links48 and the levers 59 at different distances from the common pivot 56 ofsaid levers, the movement of the free end of each is graduated asrequired so that each advances the type bar far enough to bring itscorresponding character directly under the pin platen 32 for theprinting operation.

If for any reason the type bar characters fail to properly respond to apressed button, an adjusting means should be provided by which thedownward movement of any one or more of the buttons may be varied asrequired to in turn increase or decrease the movement of the levers 5tuntil proper registration is obtained between the type bar charactersand the pin platen.

For this purpose each of the bell crank levers is provided as here shownwith an adjustable stop in the form of a setscrew 54 (Figs. 5 and 6) bywhich the movement imparted to its connected lever 59 may be carried asrequired, and through the connections described a correspondingvariation will be effected in the movement of the type bar 39.

The setscrews 54 are carried by a cross bar 55 secured by brackets 56 tothe main frame of the machine.

When addresses in any considerable number are to be printed to which thesame catalogue is to be sent, provision is made for utilizing powerdriven mechanism to automatically repeat the printing of theclassification marking for each address stencilling operation and sosave the machine operator the time and laborof repeatedly pressing thesame type bar shift button.

The effect of this adjustment is to cause any one of the bellcranklevers 43, 45,-to be actuated by power rather than by hand through thebuttons 40, as above described.

As the shifting of the type bar bearing the classification markersmustbe in timed relation to the oscillating movement of the printing headcarrying the platens, the platen rocker frame 24, 25,,is utilized as aconvenient source of power, and

transmission of motion from the rocker frame to a cross shaft 51 iseffected by a connecting rod 58 pivoted to a crank 59 on the end of 51as shown in Figs. 2, 4 and 5.. The connecting rod 58 is suitablyconstructed to be elastically extensible lengthwise, as shown in Fig. 5,to compensate for movement of the platen rocker frame 24, 25, in excessover the movement requiredfor the power operation of the classificationmarking mechanism. In the construction shown in Fig. 5 this isaccomplished by having the free end of rod 58 slide in a slotted housingI02 which is pivoted to the rocker frame and has a spring lfll confinedbetween one end of the slot and the end of that rod. The cross shaft 5'!extends in parallel relation to the shaft 44 carrying the bellcranklevers 43, 45, and is mounted in extensions of the supporting bracketsI63 for that shaft.

From the foregoing it will be seen that in the operation of the stencilprinting mechanism, the cross shaft 5'! will be oscillated in time withthe oscillations of the printing head and in order to selectivelytransmit this motion of the cross shaft 57 to any one of the bell-cranklevers 43, 45, by which the classification characters on the type barare adjusted to printing position, four identical devices are employed,one for each bellcrank lever.

These devices comprise four crank arms 59 each fast on the shaft 57.Pivoted at the outer end of each crank arm 59* is a link 60 which isalso pivotally connected to the inner end of a key lever 6| and isnormally held against upward movement by-a spring 62. The key leverextends beyond the front edge of the machine table and terminates in abutton 63 conveniently accessible to the hand of the operator and markedwith one of the classification characters of the type bar 29.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 4 there are four buttons 63 arranged in a row,in alignment with the buttons 40, each aligned pair of buttons havingcorresponding markings.

The alignment of the two sets of buttons brings the key levers in linewith the vertically disposed arms 45 of the bell crank levers butnormally there is no engagement between them. On depressing a key leverbutton 63 to shift it from its normal position shown in Fig. 5 to theadjusted position shown in Fig. 6, the link 60 is swung up so that theoscillating motion imparted to the key lever by its carrying shaft willbe transmitted to the aligned bellcrank lever, as indicated in brokenlines in Fig. 6, which in turn transmits it through a link bar 48 andlever 50 to the classification type bar 29. The efiect of thisadjustment is to cause a classification character on the type bar,corresponding to the character on the depressed key, to be moved intoprinting position under the pin platen 32, for each operation of theprinting head and to continue this action as long as the adjustment ismaintained by holding the key depressed. While this could be done byhand for a few printing operations, it would not be satisfactory wherethe repeat action of the'classification marking is required for a largenumber of addresses the stencils for which may fill an entire filedrawer,

notch 66 of the slot 'ing printing sectors at machine shown in Fig.

. as hereinbefore described. While and to enable the repeat key to bereleasably looked as adjusted a pin and slot connection is providedbetween'the key lever andits crank-arm 59 of a form such that the pin 64on the crank arm ridesfreely in the slot 65 of the key lever asthelatteris being depressed, but on full depression the pin snaps intoan offset terminal as shown in Fig. 6, where .it is held under thetension of the spring 62 until released by the operator.

As previously stated, successive labels are formed from a long sheet orweb 67 of paper contained on a roll 68, journalled rotatably upon theframe at the right hand end of the machine table, as viewed in Figs, 1and 3. The sheet from the roll 68 passes between two guide rods 69 andthence around three feeding rolls vIll that are closely assembled and ofrelatively small diameter, so that the paper makes sharp bends aroundthem. The rolls are geared together as indicated at I05 in Fig. 1 andone of the rolls, as the roll at the left when looking at Fig. 3, has apositive driving connection through bevel gears H and continuouslyrotating shaft .12, driven by a sprocket chain 13 from the powermechanism. The rolls are not in contact one with another and thereforeexert a friction feeding action on the web which is not effective unlessit is under tension. This tension is normally maintained by the floatingslack take-up roll 74. From the rolls 10, the sheet runs downwardly in aloop around this roll 74, which is normally supported by the loop andguided for vertical movement between pairs of rods 75 so that it is freeto move vertically without becoming displaced horizontally. The pairs ofrods are provided at their lower ends with stop members 76 which supportroll 14 if the loop of the web 61 allows it to drop that far. With thisarrangement, when the paper loop is short enough to hold the tensionroll above the supports, the weight of the tension roll puts enoughtension on the sheet to bring the feed rolls 1!] into action and drawthe sheet from the roll 68. When, however, the loop is long enough sothat the tension roll rests on the supports, the paper loop is relievedfrom the weight of the roll and hence the frictional engagement betweenthe sheet and the rolls 1:: is reduced and the sheet advance is reducedor ceases. The paper web passes upwardly from the lefthand side of theloop (see Fig. 3) and thence horizontally over an idler roll 11, throughparallel guides 18, and through the stencil printing zone to therotatthe left hand side of the These rotating sectors print the samelegend on each label section of the web, as hereinafter explained, andalso form the main web feeding mechanism, giving it the intermittent,step-bystep movements necessary for cooperation with the reciprocatingstencil printing mechanism. It would not be practical to have thisintermittent feed mechanism alone move the whole length of web passingthrough the machine and so be jerking it off the roll 68 intermittently.Consequently the supplemental web-feeding rolls 10 are used and runcontinuously to pull the web from roll 68. To allow the uniform motiongiven to the web by them to be changed into the intermittent movementrequired in the printing and cutting zones the floating slack take-uproll 14 is used the web portions in the printing zones are at rest, roll14 drops gradually as rolls 10 continue .tofeed the righthand portion ofthe web forward from roll 68. When the feed sectors S ll (Fig. 3a) beginto operate they are timed to pull along in about a quarter of a machinecycle a whole label length of paper, while rolls 1i] will only feed thatmuch during anentire cycle. Consequently while sectors 90 are in actiontake-up roll 14 is being lifted up. When the sectors release the web andfriction finger 80 brings it to a stop andholds it stationary for aboutthree quarters of a cycle, roll 14 gradually dropsdown to take up theslack of the right hand portion of the web being fed out by rolls M1,and so on.

The advantage of the light friction feeding action of rolls 10, and thecessation of that while that portion of the web is free from otherfeeding tension, arises from the fact that this takes care of any slightinequality between the feeding rates of the two feeding mechanisms 90and 10. The rolls 10 should be geared to have a circumferential movementduring each cycle very slightly in excess of a label length, whilesectors 90 feed such length exactly. Consequently the length of the freeloop carrying the floating roll 14 will slowly lengthen until at the endof some period of rest of the web in the printing zone said roll willrest on its stop 16, and as tension on the web portion then comingthrough rolls I0 is: accordingly released they will slip on the web andit will stop moving until the next slack take-up operation lifts roll14. Consequently just the length of web required by the feedingapparatus at the left hand side of the machine (which is thus thedominating feed mechanism) will always be delivered by rolls 10 to theprinting zones, and no more.

It will be observed that the course of travel 0 the paper sheet, asabove described, is across the table at right angles to the line of feedof the stencils and, on reaching the stencil printing zone, the sheetpasses over and above the stencils and. under the printing head carryingthe platen l5 and in this position receives the imprint from the stenciland a marking from type bar 29, both on its under side.

From the stencil printing zone the sheet, continuing in the line oftravel as above described, passes between a pair of parallel guides 19and under a spring finger 80, which engages the sheet with sufficienttension to hold it against backward movement when the printing mechanismbeyond the tension'finger is idle and the sheet consequently is notbeing advanced thereby.

The printing mechanism last above referred to may be employed to applythe senders name and address, instructions to the postmaster and othergeneral matter common to all labels. As shown in Fig. 3a it comprises aprinting roller 8! carried by a shaft 82, mounted in suitable bearings83 below the paper web and a cooperative rotary platen 84 of the sectortype, carried by a shaft 85 (which also carries sectors mounted insuitable bearings 86, above the web, the arrangement being such that theimprint is applied tothe under side of the web adjacent to each addressthereon, as indicated at 4- in Fig. 7.

The printing roller shaft and the platen shaft are geared together, asindicated at 81 (Fig. 1) to rotate in opposite directions at the samespeed and the printing roller shaft is suitably geared to be driven bythe sprocket chain drive 13 which in turn is rotated by bevel gearingfrom shaft 12, as shown'in Fig. 3.

Cooperating with the printing roller 8! there is the usual inkingmechanism indicated in part at 88. Pressing down on the plain surface ofthe roller 8| at each end beyond the type section are the previouslydescribed web feeding sectors formed by the raised arcuate sections 90of predetermined circumferential extent that are designed to engage andgive forward feed to the paper for a time during each cycle ofoperation. This movement is equal to the length of one label, and sotimed as to properly locate the matter printed by roller 8| withrelation to the addresses previously stencilled on the web.

Beyond the printing mechanism just described, a paper cutter isprovidedfor cutting off each label section from its web. The cutter shown is ofwell known form and consists of a fixed blade 9|, and a movable blade92. The movable blade is pivotedat 93 (see Figs. 1 and 3a) and issuitably connected at its free end with the power mechanism, asindicated at 94, to be given up and down movement about its pivot intimed relation to each period of rest of the web. As the completedlabels are cut from the web, they fall into the receptacle I04 locatedbelow the knife.

As will be apparent from the foregoing, the advance of the paper webfrom the tension device 80, within the lateral guides 19 is broughtabout by the feed action of the sectors 90 by which it is moved step bystep through the printing mechanism to the cutter. The radii of thearcuate sections 90 are of course, equal to the radii of the arcuateplaten 84.

As the operation of the various devices employed in the machine has beenexplained in sufficient detail to be clearly understood, it will not benecessary to further describe the same, but it may be added as to thegeneral operation that the feed of the paper web and the line ofstencils is step by step, in timed relation. The stencil pusher l2 andpaper feed discs 89 acting in unison present a new section of the paperweb for an impression as each stencil comes into printing position andtheprinting is done in the intervals between the feed stops. 7

The selection and adjustment of the catalogue classification mark toaccompany each stencilled address is made by the machine operator.Guided by the data or class mark on the stencil frame backs, theoperator presses correspondingly marked buttons of either the uppersetor the lower set, depending upon whether the mark is to be used for asingle address or only successively for several, or whether it is to beused for a large number of addresses calling for the same catalogue. Iffor a single address or successively for a small number, the upper setof buttons is used and the selected button -may be pressed to move theclassification marker into position, for each stencil printing operationor it may be pressed and held down until several operations have beencompleted. Where the number of successive stencils calling for the sameclass mark is large, the operator uses the outer set of buttons and, asthe selected button is pressed down, it adjusts the power drive toautomatically move the classification marker into desired position asthe stencils are successively advanced into the printing zone. Theself-locking action of the buttons of the lower set, when depressed,causes the power drive to continue in effective operation until thebutton is released by the operator. 7

The provision of the rather complicated duplicate mechanisms'forreciprocating the type bar into and out of printing position during eacheration. If the buttons 40 are being used each one should be manuallyreleased after each cycle of operations even if the catalogue markingused is repeated, because. if left in operating position there will beinsufiicient ink on the type face left after any one operation for arepetition thereof. Similarly where one of the buttons 63 is used thetype bar is automatically reciprocated into printing position and outagain under the inking roller 34 during each cycle of operations. Theimportance of the web feeding system having an automatic, self-adjustingaction, and comprising the slightly separated friction rolls 70 runningat a circumferential speed very slightly in excess of that needed tofeed one label length during one cycle combined with the compensating,slack take-up action of floating roll 14 with its automatic release oftension on the web portion passing through said rolls at the moment whenjust the right length of web has been pulled off roll 68 by them (aspreviously described), arises from the practical impossibility of makingtwo positively acting spaced-apart feed mechanisms operating on acontinuous web run at exactly the same speed. That is to say, if therolls 70, or any two of them, were set so close together as topositively pinch the web between them and the web length so fed by themduring any one cycle of machine operation slightly exceeded that fed bysectors 90, web slack would gradually accumulate in the stencil printingzone and interfere with proper registry of the address printed therewith the re-i peat matter 4 printed by roll 8|. On the other hand, ifsuch web length so fed by rolls 10 were slightly less than the requiredamount to even the most minute extent, the web portion between rolls l0and sectors would as a result be subjected to gradually increasingtension until it broke somewhere between l0 and 90.

Various changes in details of mechanism for producing this and othermodes of operation hereinbefore described could be made withoutdeparting from the essence of the invention so long as the general modeof operation and results hereinbefore set forth are preserved.

Having described my inventi0n,'I claim:

1. In a label printing and addressing apparatus comprising a pluralityof address-bearing stencils, a reciprocable member adapted for pressingink through successive stencils, means for feed ing such stencilssuccessively through the printing zone of such apparatus, means forfeeding a web of paper also through said printing zone and apparatus forcutting it into a series of sections each bearing a stencilled imprint,a supplemental printing device operatively attached to and in partcarried by said reciprocable member adapted for also printing one oranother of a series of selected marks on each such label section.

2. An apparatus such as defined in claim 1 in which such stencils arefed toward that side of the apparatus at which it is most convenient forthe operator to stand while said web feed is adapted to move it at rightangles to said line of stencil movement above and across the line ofstencils but in such position as to leave exposed to the operators viewan extended portion of the stencil frame nearest to him on which recordsof significant data have been made.

3. A label printing and marking apparatus comprising a supportinghorizontal frame with guides thereon extending toward that side of theframe at which the operator can most conveniently be located, a seriesof stencil cards arranged face dow ward in said guides and having datamarked, on their exposed upper surfaces nearest such operators location,means for applying ink to the under surface of each stencil when in asaid stencil; whereby the operator can select such marking as mayconform to any data exposed on such stencil then in the printing zone.

4. An addressing apparatus comprising, in combination, means foradvancing a web of paper and means including a moving line of stencilsfor applying different addresses in succession and suitably spaced apartfor individual use to the under side of such paper Web advanced by thefirst mentioned means, the line of movement of the stencils being at anangle to the direction of feed of the paper and so disposed withreference thereto as to cause a considerable portion ofthe frame of eachstencil when in printing position to be visible beyond the adjacent edgeof the paper web; whereby the user may be guided in operating theapparatus by any indicia appearingon such protruding frame portion.

5. An apparatus such as defined in claim 4 combined with means forprinting on the under side of such web immediately adjacent to each suchaddress and simultaneously with the print-. ing thereof a mark relatedto such indicia.

6. An apparatus such as defined in claim 4 combined with manuallyoperable selective means for printing on the under side of such web anyone of a plurality of marks indicating the class of catalogue to be sentwith any package to which the label simultaneously being printed is tobe attached.

7. An apparatus for printing a series of names and addresses on a web ofpaperfed step by step through the printing zone thereof which comeprises a reciprocating platerihead and a cooperating, oppositelyreciprocating ink-bearing member, combined with a Second platen membermounted on said head with its free end adjacent to, and having a facelying substantially in the plane of said first mentioned platen, atypecarrying bar adapted to slide in a plane parallel and opposite tothe face of such second platen, mechanism for reciprocating said bar sothat any type face thereon may be moved into and out of registry withsaid second platen member during a portion of each printing cycle, andmeans for applying ink to such type face while out of such position ofregistry. 1

8. In a label printing apparatus employing a plurality of card stencilseach having anextension frame on which selection-controlling indiciamarked thereon will be visible when the stencil bearing it is inprinting position, supplemental mechanism for applying a classificationsymbol successively to any desired number of such labels while the mainlegends are being printed thereon comprising, in combination, areciprocating platen member, a cooperating type bar reciprocable atright angles to the line of reciprocation of said platen member andhaving a plurality of type formed on its surface which faces saidmember, an inking device cooperating with said type-. bearing surface,mechanism for reciprocating said bar and a plurality of push buttons,one for each type appearing on said bar; said last mentioned mechanismbeing adapted to move said bar through the inking zone into position toplace opposite said platen member the particular type corresponding toany particular push button which may have been pressed by the operatorafter he has note-d the indicia visible on the stencil then to beutilized in printing a label.

9. In a label printing apparatus employing a series of address bearingmembers and an apparatus cooperating in such printing in successivecycles of operation, supplemental means for applying a particular markto each label comprising in combination, a platen located near the firstabove mentioned apparatus, a cooperating type bar movable toward andfrom said platen, an inking device for the type on said bar located nearsaid platen, and mechanism automatically operable by said firstmentioned apparatus for moving said type into cooperation with saidinking device before each label printing operation.

10. An apparatus such as defined in claim 9 in which said main printingapparatus comprises a reciprocating member, and said last mentionedmechanism comprises a motion-transmitting connection therefrom to saidtype bar.

11. An apparatus such as defined in claim 9 in which said main printingapparatus comprises a reciprocating member, and said last mentionedmechanism comprises a motion-transmitting connection therefrom to saidtype bar, together with manually controllable means for disabling it.

12. -In a mechanism for printing one or another of a series ofsupplemental markings on a sheet on which a longer legend is beingprinted, the combination of a longitudinally recip-rocab-le bar havingtype formed in its face along the line of its reciprocation, a singlereciprocating platen adapted to cooperate with any one of said type, aseries of levers having a common pivot at one end and loosely connectedto said typebar at the other, and a series of type selecting membershaving substantially uniform limits of movement, but connected to saidlevers at difierent distances from their common pivot; whereby, onmoving one or another of said members through its path, the type barwill be slid a greater or lesser distance so asto bring into cooperationwith said platen the type corresponding to the member which has beenmoved.

13. In a device adapted to be operated either manually or automaticallyso as to print one or another of a series of classification or othermarks, the combination of a series of cranks each manually rotatableseparably about a common axis to effect the printing of a given mark, asecond series of cranks fixed on a shaft parallel to said axis, each oneof said second cranks moving substantially in theplane of one of thefirst series, power means for continually oscillating said shaft, and amember on each crank thereon adjustable so as to either engage andvibrate the corresponding member of the first series of cranks orvibrate idly, thereby leaving the selection and printing of anyparticular marks to be determined by manual operation of one of saidfirst series.

14. An apparatus such as defined in claim 8,

which is supported from a horizontal table in which said push buttonsare set along a straight line, combined with power means forreciprocating said type bar in the selective manner described in saidclaim, comprising a second row of the same number of push buttons set ina line parallel to that in which the first mentioned ones are arrangedand opposite thereto, together with mechanism adapted to automaticallyreciprocate said type bar whenever one of said second set of buttons isdepressed so as to bring it into the same printing position as would bethe case if the corresponding one of said first set of buttons had beenmanually depressed.

HARMON P. ELLIOTT.

